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Cowls Street, Fairbanks, Alaska

Set deep in the Alaskan wilderness (Anchorage is more than a 6-hour drive away), Fairbanks is an urban oasis offering such metropolitan diversions as art museums, opera houses, heck, even Thai food. But don't be fooled. This is still Alaska. Winters last from late September through late April, and the city is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, raging rivers, and acres of caribou-filled forest. "This is wilderness beyond your comprehension," says Deb Hickok, president and CEO of Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau. While the greater Fairbanks area is home to almost 100,000 people, only about 35,000 live within the city limits (others dwell in surrounding areas). Many of those in town reside in the Cowls Street Neighborhood, which is filled with modest, well-crafted houses, some recently restored, others comfortably lived in.

The HousesMost were built in the early 1900s, when Fairbanks went from a trading post for gold miners to an actual city, thanks to the railroad and, later, the oil and gas industries. The houses are a mix of Craftsman bungalows, foursquares, ranch-styles, and a few log cabins. Many are situated on small lots, but that doesn't stop residents from cultivating vegetable gardens during the brief growing season. Prices hover around the $100,000 to $200,000 mark.

Why Buy Here?Residents enjoy the same pleasures as the thousands of tourists who flock here each summer for hiking, hunting, fly-fishing, whitewater rafting, dog mushing, and a great view of the northern lights. For those seeking indoor alternatives, the University of Alaska Fairbanks provides lectures, classes, and sporting events.